THE BIRDS OF COOLABAH AND BREWARRINA— NORTH. 139 



Pomatostomus temporalis, Gould, Handbk. Bds. Austr., i., p. 

 479 (1865) ; North, Nests and Eggs Austr. Bds., 2ud ed., 

 i., pt. iv., p. 358 (1904). 



Common at Coolabah, less frequently observed at Brewarrina. 

 Usually met with in open forest lands and pine scrubs, in small 

 flocks, from four to seven or more in number, feeding on the 

 grassy sward beneath some wide spreading tree, where with 

 puffed out body feathers and slightly spread wings, they run 

 here and there, disputing among themselves the possession of 

 some insect or other coveted morsel and keeping up at the 

 same time an incessant chattering. From their gregarious and 

 sociable habits these birds are known in many parts of Western 

 New South AVales, by the local name of "Happy Family." 

 When disturbed by too close an approach they fly on to the 

 lower branches of a tree and quickly hop from limb to limb 

 until reaching the top, they leave, sometimes in twos and 

 threes, following in a, line one after the other. 



The food of this species consisting principally of insects, it 

 is looked upon as a useful bird hj agriculturists and orchardists. 

 Mr. R. Ethei'idge, however, informs me that about Colo Vale, 

 on the southern line, about seventy-three miles distant from 

 Sydney, at the end of August, in some seasons, these birds pull 

 up the fi'eshly sprouting oats, also eat grain later on, when 

 ready for storing, and feast upon fruit when ripe, principally 

 plums and cherries. It must be exceptional I think, for it is 

 the only occasion I have heard of this bird being a pest. 



Gymnoehina tibicen. 

 Black-backed Magpie. 

 Goracias tihicen, Lath., Ind. Orn., Suppl., p. xxvii. (1801). 



Gijmnorhina tihicen, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol., ii., pi. 4-6 (1848) ; 

 id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., i., p. 175 (1865) ; Gadow, Cat. 

 Bds. Brit. Mus., viii., p. 91 (1883) ; North, Nests and Eggs 

 Austr. Bds., 2nd. ed., ii., pt. i., p. 1 (1906). 



A few pairs observed immediately around the township of 

 Coolabah, one pair having a nest with young, during my stay, 

 near the Public School, the birds of which frequently swooped 

 down on the children on their Avay to or from their lessons, as 

 is their wont when one is near the vicinity of their nest. Less 

 frequently met with at Brewarrina. 



